00 - prologue

[afflictionmods]

PROLOGUE

It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing – something strange begins to happen. There's a sudden burning sensation that wraps around your right wrist and part of your forearm. If you glance at the affected area, you'll find that it's...glowing.  The glow is pale blue, and it's so bright that it hurts to look at. The burn itself isn't so painful that you feel like keeling over just yet, but it does hurt nevertheless.

But before you have time to try to soothe the pain, you start to feel lightheaded, dizzy. Perhaps some of you may attribute this to any injuries you may currently be sustaining. For those who were previously unscathed, however, there's quite possibly no explanation for this other than the sudden appearance of the mysterious burn on your arm.

There is no time to mull it over, though, because it is the last thing that you see before the world suddenly fades to black.

-----

When you regain your senses, your vision is blurry; but when it starts to even out and you survey your surroundings, you find yourself sitting in a rather uncomfortable chair. Looking around you’ll see rows and rows of chairs, all facing the same way towards a desk, a podium, and an empty wall. A projector hangs from the ceiling and the lighting is bright and artificial... For some of you, it might be reminiscent of a college lecture hall. For others, you might have never seen anything like this before.

Your wrist, by the way, feels perfectly fine...though there’s now some kind of strange marking on it. It looks like a scar of some sort, and if you choose to touch it, it doesn’t feel inflamed or damaged in any way...but that doesn’t mean you don’t experience any pain. Perhaps the last thing some of you remember is a hard-fought battle, and the aches from your injuries still linger; some of you might not even remember getting hurt, and yet, your body aches like it has; for the lucky ones who feel fine, well. Pray that it lasts for a little while longer.

Because the moment someone gets hurt – emotionally or physically – there’s a small chance you’ll feel it, too. Where and who and what it’s coming from, though, is on you to figure out.

In front of you on the desk is some kind of device – a tablet, for those of you who are familiar. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be capable of doing much of anything right now, other than take photos and videos with the Camera app. There's also a translating app for those of you who need help reading some of the text around campus, as it is all in English. (Verbally, however, you can understand everyone in your own language. Tablets are also in characters' native languages.) It seems to be incredibly durable and hard to break, but you may want to be careful with it regardless.

Something shifts in your pocket (or...in your socks/shoe/what have you, if pockets aren't a thing) as you move around. Should you reach in and feel for it, you’ll find some kind of card – those who are familiar with modern technology will recognize that this is some kind of card you need to swipe. It has your name and a photo of you on one side, and the back of the card has the word "KEYCARD" on it.

There are also other people here, scattered throughout this mysterious classroom you’re in. In fact, there’re a bunch of you — 29 others, to be exact.

And now... you’re free to do whatever you want. Mostly anything, at least, given that once you step outside and explore, you’ll notice an ominous fog behind the various buildings within view. Still, this is a good time to get your bearings, check on what you have - and don’t have - and talk to the people around you until orientation starts.

-----

( OOC: Welcome to your Intro Log! The partner system is in effect for the Intro Log, meaning that yes, pain share is happening! For some notes regarding the partner system, your character will not know who their partner is upon arrival. It’s entirely possible that they find out now if their partner gets or is already injured, or if they can pick up on their mood. Otherwise, they’ll find out later today...!

Anyone who tries to leave campus grounds will have to enter through the fog, but no matter what, they will mysteriously wind up back onto campus grounds. And for clarification, the keycards are what characters need to gain access to their dorms!

Finally, we will have an NPC Reveal at 6pm EST today! )

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Comments

[vivens]

[ hmmm. he'll raise an eyebrow at ace. ]

Yeah, is that so?

I think it should be the other way around. You have someone who will watch your back when you go off and do something stupid again.

[ because it wasn't a question of "if" but a question of "when". they were all guilty of doing things like that but luffy and ace had a special brand of running off to be idiots that were truly something else. ]

And someone who will kick your ass if you ever doubt all of that ever again.

[iubar]

[ he laughs a little bit and shifts his arm to nudge sabo lightly in the chest with his elbow. ]

What would adventure be without a little trouble?

[ sometimes things just happen. it's not his fault he's drawn to trouble like luffy is. it makes life more exciting. ]

Heh. That's a little more complicated, though. But I don't think I'll forget anytime soon.

[vivens]

A little trouble is fine, but it's never "a little" with you.

[ he'll raise the hand that was resting between them to give ace a shove of his shoulder. ]

You better not; after saying all of that to me, you better not. I'm going to remember it from here on out so you need to as well.

[ because he'll need those words when his enemies come for him and start saying things that ate into the most twisted parts of him. ugly parts that still exist and will continue to. ]

[iubar]

It's all about how you look at it!

[ but sabo is right. it's not just a little. it tends to be rather extreme trouble he gets himself into. ]

I'll make sure to keep that in mind. Don't need you getting on my case about it.

[ he shifts a little bit and lifts his hand. he hesitates a moment before reaching to push back some of sabo's hair that's attempting to cover the scar. if sabo lets him get that far. ]

Why are you hiding this?

[vivens]

[ honest to god, he instantly wonders if he misses this as he lets out a sigh mixed in with a laugh. the answer is yes, yes he did miss this. how could he not? it's something that he's always wanted to be able to do since regaining his memories and any comments or quips he might have had die immediately when ace reaches towards him.

ace initiating touch was not something he did often as kid so sabo doesn't move to see what ace was going to do. unfortunately he unconsciously flinches when ace brushes his hair back to see his scar which definitely won't make his counter sound believable. ]

...I'm not hiding it.

[ he's just somewhat self-conscious about it. ]

[iubar]

You sure about that?

[ he isn't so oblivious that he didn't notice sabo's flinch. it's also obvious to see sabo's hair is covering the scarring.

if it isn't hiding, what is it? sorry, but ace is curious to know what's up with him. he's not bothered by it or appalled by it, but he wants to know what he's missed all these years. ]

[vivens]

If I wanted to hide it, wouldn't you expect to see something on it to cover it?

[ ace can be curious, he isn't going to discourage him from it but he will try to sweep this under the rug as quickly as he can. especially since it's a bit surreal about how ace is touching the scar that is the lasting physical proof of the event that took away his memories. ]

[iubar]

Hm... Maybe. [ he tilts his head. ] Where'd you get it?

[ he isn't about to assume where he got it. all he knows is about the accident and the aftermath, but he can't be certain that it was from then. likely from the loss of memory. once he knows, he'll let sabo move things along all he likes. probably. ]

[vivens]

[ well. ]

After my ship was shot down.

[ assumptions might have been nice here but sabo still answers easily enough. it's just something that happened to him and just a fact of life. ]

I should count myself lucky that I haven't lost sight out of the eye.

[ probably?? ]

[iubar]

[ sometimes it's nice to hear it directly, though. even if it's not easy.

his fingers brush the scar before he pulls his hand away and lets it drop back down. ]

Making it out of that at all is pretty lucky.

[vivens]

[ sabo doesn't say anything until ace's hand falls back onto the bed, opting to watch the the whole thing instead. he isn't fond of his scar and glad that ace didn't make any more of a fuss about it than that. ]

Yeah... If the Revolutionary Army hadn't been there that day then I wouldn't be here now.

[iubar]

[ there's no reason to make a bigger deal out of it than that. injuries and scars happen. that's not how he is. and sabo might smack him if he suddenly got weird and started fussing for no reason. ]

But you are. Ten years later. [ he doesn't know about the two years that sabo has. even if he did, it's still ten years for him. ]

[vivens]

[ well.

so. about that then... ]

Twelve years, technically. It's been a while since you've died.

[iubar]

[ that's even more strange, given everything. but he nods a bit. ]

A lot can happen in two years. Want to give me the highlights?

[ of course, he mainly cares about what's happened with luffy and sabo, but major world changes would impact them, too. granted, with sabo, it's more than just the two years he's missing. ]

[vivens]

[ yeah, it's obvious where the priorities lie and since sabo is sabo— ]

Well, Luffy's bounty went even higher. They've labeled him as the "fifth emperor of the sea".

[iubar]

[ big surprise sabo focusing on luffy.

but what he drops is actually a big surprise to him. he knew luffy was getting stronger, but that strong? ]

He-- Really?! That's an impressive title he's gotten for himself.

[vivens]

[ we don't need to talk about him. ]

Isn't it?

He's really come a long way in two years.

[iubar]

It sounds it.

[ there's a proud little smile here to hear that. ]

Makes me wish I could see it.

[vivens]

[ ah.

well... it goes to say that he also would wish that ace could see it. ]

When I get back from what I'm doing, I'll leave the newspaper at your grave.

[iubar]

[ there is such a bittersweet feeling to that. hearing about his own grave being talked about. but he gives a nod. ]

So considerate.

[ there is zero sarcasm in his tone about that. it's a kind gesture, after all. ]

[vivens]

[ sabo's reaction is also a bit muted but nothing too sullen. ]

It's the least I could for you.

[iubar]

It sounds like you've done a lot.

[ being there for luffy really does mean the world to him. but he's more or less mentioned that already. ]

[vivens]

Except that I haven't. There's still plenty that I need to get done and needs to get done.

[ because while being there for luffy is important to him, sabo's still got his end goal to achieve. ]

[iubar]

For me, I mean.

[ unless he means all these plans are something he's doing for ace, as well? ]

[vivens]

[ ah. well..... ]

...maybe not as much for you specifically but there are still things.